1 dead after helicopter crashes into Virginia condo

By Ray Downs, UPI

At least one person is dead after a helicopter crashed into a 10-unit condominium in a residential neighborhood of Williamsburg, Va., officials said Sunday.

[post_ads]The crash, which occurred near the campus of the College of William & Mary, caused a fire that destroyed the building and took several hours to get under control, the Virginia Daily-Pilot reported. Search and rescue teams were looking through the rubble for any other victims.

The confirmed death was not the pilot of the helicopter.

A Twitter user posted video of the condominium engulfed in flames and smoke before firefighters arrived.

I have 53 mins of this on my Facebook live, we watched it all happen, here before the fire crews pic.twitter.com/HF480Duz5Z

— Philly Steve (@scottgorslene) July 8, 2018

Brook Sweeney lives across the street from where the crash took place and told the Daily-Pilot the impact sounded like a car crash.

"I was upstairs when I heard what sounded like a helicopter flying really low overhead. The whole house shook and then I just heard a loud 'bam' and the whole house was on fire," Sweeney said.

The Federal Aviation Administration has opened an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. The agency said the helicopter involved in the crash was a R44, a 4-seat, single-engine craft that is one of the most popular helicopters in the world.

The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the cause of the crash.